The hostage-takers have threatened to kill the hostages - 2002-10-25. Russia says it is willing to spare the lives of Chechen rebels on the condition that hundreds of hostages taken are released unharmed. Russian security officials announced this after a meeting today in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin. The Chechen hostage-takers, who have taken hundreds of people hostage in a Moscow theater, released 15 people today, including 8 children. Negotiations to free more hostages were halted today. Moscow security officials say the hostage-takers had promised to release 75 citizens from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and the USA, but this action has been delayed. On Wednesday night, an armed group of Chechen men and women attacked the Moscow theater and took the audience hostage, demanding the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Chechnya. They threatened to blow up the theater building with its occupants. The latest news is that the Chechen rebels who have taken the Moscow theater hostage threatened that if their demands are not met, they would start killing hostages from dawn today, but so far they have not acted on their threat. So far, twenty children have been released, but the hostage-takers have not agreed to release the seventy-five foreign nationals present in the hall. The delegation negotiating with the rebels to end this situation includes two members of the Russian parliament, a prominent journalist, two members of the Red Cross, and former Russian Prime Minister Primakov. The Chechens are demanding the withdrawal of Russia from the Chechen region.
Hostage-takers threaten to kill hostages
Chechen rebels have taken hostages in a Moscow theater and threatened to kill them unless their demands for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya are met. Negotiations are ongoing, but progress has stalled, and the situation remains tense.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Chechen rebels took hundreds of hostages in a Moscow theater, threatening to kill them unless Russian troops withdraw from Chechnya. Negotiations have stalled, and while some hostages have been released, the situation remains tense.
- The hostage-takers have threatened to kill hostages if their demands are not met.
- Negotiations include members of the Russian parliament and international representatives.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The conflict in Chechnya has been marked by violence and demands for independence from Russia, leading to a series of hostage situations and terrorist attacks over the years.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%